Page 44 - RADC Bulletin 2019

AMS Football
Lt Andrew Tobin RAMC
After coming 3rd in the league and finishing the season with a record high number of points, 18 players under the management of Major Nige Bamford
and Captain Andy Hiley set off on a tour looking to conquer New York City. Seeking to exploit the success of the 2018-19 season, this year’s tour to New York
City provided the AMS men’s team with everything they set out to achieve and more. Three wins out of three, enhanced team cohesion, top class training sessions and a rare opportunity to experience one of the most famous cities in the world made NYC 19 a tour the men’s AMS football team will never forget.
Following a smooth journey from Manchester to JFK Airport, the AMS wasted no time settling into their new surroundings and began day 1 with a training session
in Brooklyn. The first training session gave everyone the perfect chance to blow out any cobwebs and sharpen up for the first fixture later that day against the New Jersey Police Department. Crisp passing, smooth control and the Manhattan skyline behind the pitches left the management team purring and with a number of selection dilemmas for the game later that day. After an afternoon of rest and a tactics lesson from Major
Nige ‘the tinkerman’ Bamford, the AMS travelled to Kean University Stadium for the eagerly anticipated first fixture. Boasting fantastic facilities, a 4G pitch, floodlights
and a capacity to hold 2000 spectators,
the AMS stepped up with ease to teach
the NJPD how football should be played. Controlling possession and dictating the tempo of the game, the AMS never left
1st gear and swept aside their American opponent finishing the match 2-0 winners. Glimpses of brilliance from Zimmerman, the poaching instinct of George Ray and the work rate of Clark the enforcer gave the management team an insight of what was to come for remainder of the tour. The AMS squad decided to celebrate their first victory of the tour by going out for a team meal and enjoying a few drinks. In order to make Nick Clifford feel more at home and less isolated, the social committee made the decision
...for the first time in his life Clifford didn’t stand out from the crowd due to his attire
that everyone was to wear a colourful and lively shirt. This turned out to be extremely popular with the locals, and for the first time in his life Clifford didn’t stand out from the crowd due to his attire.
Because of the impressive performances shown against the NJPD, the AMS squad were given day 2 off to rest and explore the famous culture of NYC. The amazing views
of the Empire State Building overlooking Manhattan, the sobering experience of the Twin Tower Memorial, the mayhem of Times Square and the impressive boat tour to the Statue of Liberty were just a handful of the landmarks the AMS squad managed to cram in one day. At the end of the day the entire squad travelled together to the Citified Stadium, home of the New York Mets.
The support and chanting from the AMS clearly had a positive impact on the baseball players, with the Mets putting an end to a 5-match losing streak and winning the game with the last pitch of the day.
Having explored much of New York
City, the AMS woke up feeling fresh and ready to face their next opposition; the
New York Police Department. The NJPD at the end of the previous game had already warned us that NYPD were the best law enforcement team in the country and had recently won the National Cup. In turn
the AMS were forced to step their game
up in what proved to be a fiercely fought match. The ability to pick players from a pool of 50,000 law enforcement officers
was apparent, with the NYPD starting the game extremely confidently. Demonstrating strong ball control, the ability to recycle possession and a willingness to press as a team, the midfield trio of Clark, Fisher and Hallsy were forced to work extremely hard
in order to protect the AMS back four and retain possession. After a franticly paced
45 minutes and 2 world class saves from captain Mike Brewer, the mighty AMS went into half time slightly under the cosh drawing 0-0. A calm and inspiring team talk from
the management duo of Bamford and Hiley was reminiscent of the Fergie and McLaren team talk given in 99’, and the AMS went
on to start the second half strongly. A well-disciplined shape off the ball, and die hard defending from Titcombe and Callum ‘Sandy’ Sanderson covering every blade of grass meant the NYPD never really looked like scoring. However, despite having very little to do, veteran keeper Daz Rendell was called into action pulling out an unbelievable
Post victory vs NYPD
Training session in Brooklyn
42 RADC BULLETIN 2019
SPORT